Chill out: It’s a snowy Shabbat
Hot cocoa and cinnamon sugar snowflake cookies By Carly Pildis
By Carly Pildis December 17, 2020
#tweetyourshabbat is a global movement founded by Carly Pildis, celebrating the struggle and joy of getting Shabbat on the table every week. This is a place for real dinners and real conversations about Jewish life. Join us at Forward in sharing what you’ll be eating and how your feeling this week at #TweetYourShabbat
For millions of Jews across America it’s going to be a snowy Shabbat this week. This is a perfect time for snowflake cookies and hot chocolate. Add a shot of bourbon to that cocoa for the grownups. Put another log on the fire and cozy up in your fluffiest socks. Put a blanket around those you love and hold them close. If we need to stay home to stay safe, we may as well make it as warm and cozy as possible.
It’s been a hell of a year. We’ve done everything from Passover to Chanukah by ourselves, missing our moms and learning how to make a sponge cake (mine collapsed) or an apple kugel. We did Simchat Torah via Zoom dancing in the living room and pounded our chests for the viddui in our pajamas.
In the midst of this pandemic, we did our best to continue on with the traditions that make us who we are, even as we lost loved ones, lost our jobs, and navigated this terrifying new world. This week we fried latkes and lit candles, praying and hoping to spread light in the world, or at least keep the darkness of pandemic winter away.
We passed a terrible milestone this week, over 300,000 Americans have died. Every 36 seconds an American dies of COVID. We are going to lose many many more Americans this winter. While there is light at the end of the tunnel with the beginning of vaccinations, we are still living in the most dangerous and deadly fight of our lives. The most deadly days of the pandemic are still to come.
Everyone is struggling at this point in the pandemic. Our resolve is weak, we’ve suffered surge depletion, we are burned out and exhausted. This is a time to be gentle with ourselves. Forgive ourselves. Know that we are doing the best we can in very difficult circumstances. Whatever tiny sins you committed, whatever perfection you failed to achieve, let it melt away like a snowflake on your tongue. All of us are under tremendous pressure and living with great fear. You are doing the best you can – we all are.
It’s snowing, chill out and give yourself a break. This Shabbat you really deserve a rest.
I propose that we give our frying pans rest and reach for a cookie. This lovely dessert comes together quickly and is easy enough to do with young children. My four-year-old daughter loved making snowflakes and pounding down dough.
Chill out from the Holiday stress and turn off the news. Forget the cold outside for a few hours and rest, cocooned with those you love and plenty of chocolate, and just watch the snowfall.
How was your week? How are you spending Shabbat? Let us know at #tweetyourshabbat! Everyone is welcome at this table! Come hungry.
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